The light shining in beauty

  

              Dreaming—thinking about desires that are part of your heart—can lead you places.  For me, I started dreaming of England when I was five years old and the film “Mary Poppins” came to the theatre.  Those images of chimneys at sunrise, the Bird Lady at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the beautiful countryside captured my heart.

                As a teenager, I decided that there were three things I wanted to do before I got married.

·         Write a book

·         Live independently from my parents at least six months to a year

·         Visit England. 

On Saturday, 17^th September 1983, I took my first plane ride and my first visit outside of America.  I was flying into Heathrow Airport, (Terminal One) on my first trip to England to visit my pen-friend.  She lived in Dagenham, and I was spending two weeks with her. 

Any infatuation I felt for England, and the UK, turned into real love.  One of my first impressions was of a couple with his-and-her pink Mohawk haircuts.  I knew it was a couple, because the girl had on a ankle-length Khaki skirt!

My friend—“Kay” and her father shepherded me onto the tube, and we rode it across London to Dagenham Heathway.  I don’t remember how long it took—as it was thirty-two years ago.  But “Kay’s” father carried my suitcase from the tube station to their house on Standfield Road.  During those two weeks with them I tasted true British life.  And perhaps it added to the desire to come and live in the United Kingdom.

Here I am, 32 years later, living about 20 miles from central London.  I feel more British every day.  First I had a settlement visa.  Then I obtained a British Driver’s license.  In 2004 the Home Office issued me a visa with indefinite leave to remain.  In 2007 I gave my allegiance to Queen Elizabeth and the United Kingdom, becoming a naturalised citizen of the United Kingdom.  To add the final touches to my becoming Anglicised, I was accepted into the Church of England in May 2009.

The local parish church I regularly attend is St. Mary the Virgin.  The building dates back to about 1140 AD.  Over the years the building has been added to, as well as renovated.  Yet it still maintains all the classic beauty of wooden pews, oak columns, a pipe organs and stained-glass windows. 

This past summer, on the Sunday of the annual Patronal festival, the children’s Sunday School created a beautiful piece of artwork.  It is made of black, heavy-weight card and coloured gel paper.  Each week it is displayed on the gates to the Kedermister Family pew, so the sun can pour through the gel sheets like a true stained glass window. 

Back in 1983 I had no idea how I would come to be a resident of this country, or when.  But it was the first step of my dreams coming true. 

I suppose the only thing I lack in being British is a British accent.  Oh well…my heart is British enough without the accent.

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

Lady Helene